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Should You Be Allowed to Take Free Relief from a Footprint in the Bunker?

📌 The Worst Surprise in Golf

You step into a bunker, ready to pull off a great sand shot… but then you see it.

A massive footprint right where your ball is sitting.

• You didn’t put it there.

• It’s not natural course conditions.

• And yet, by rule, you have to play it as it lies—or take a penalty.

Is that fair, or should golfers be allowed to take free relief from footprints in the sand?

Let’s break down:

Why this rule exists

Why golfers hate it

Whether it should change

And most importantly… what’s the right solution?

⛳ What Do the Rules Say?

According to Rule 12.2b of the Rules of Golf (USGA), a player must play the ball as it lies in the bunker, even if it’s in a footprint or an unraked area.

🔹 What you CAN do:

• Smooth the sand after you hit your shot, but not before.

• Take an unplayable lie—but with a penalty stroke.

🔹 What you CAN’T do:

• Rake the bunker before hitting your shot.

• Move the ball out for free relief.

🚨 Translation: Even if someone else fails to rake the bunker, you’re stuck with their mess.

🤯 Why This Rule Drives Golfers Crazy

Let’s be honest—bunkers are already hard enough.

But when your ball ends up in someone’s footprint, you’re basically being punished for someone else’s laziness.

Here’s why golfers argue this rule needs to change:

1️⃣ It’s Not Your Fault, So Why Are You Punished?

• If a bunker is properly raked, your ball sits cleanly.

• But if someone doesn’t rake, your ball gets a terrible, unfair lie.

• The USGA says golf is a game of playing the course as you find it—but you didn’t create the footprint!

🚨 Unfair Factor: This is like hitting the fairway and landing in a divot—except worse.

2️⃣ There’s No Consistency

• Some courses rake bunkers daily—others don’t.

• Some players take the time to rake—others never do.

• On busy public courses, bunkers can be a disaster by mid-afternoon.

🚨 The Problem: Golf is already a game of luck vs. skill—but should your bunker lie be based on how responsible the group before you was?

3️⃣ There’s Already a Precedent for Free Relief

The rules already allow free relief for:

Ground under repair

Animal holes

Casual water in bunkers

So why not footprints? If your ball ends up in a footprint, isn’t that just as unfair as landing in a burrowed hole?

🚨 The Counterargument: Some say footprints are just part of bunker conditions—but should they be?

🏌️ Should the Rule Change? Here Are the Options

If the rule were to change, here are a few possible solutions:

Option 1: Allow Free Relief from Unraked Footprints

• Just like ground under repair, players could move the ball to a nearby smooth area.

• This ensures fairness—you don’t get stuck with someone else’s bad etiquette.

Potential Issue: Could slow down play if people start claiming everything as an unfair lie.

Option 2: Allow Raking Before a Shot (For Footprints Only)

• Players could smooth the bunker around their ball if it’s in a footprint.

• This keeps bunkers challenging, but removes bad luck from bad etiquette.

Potential Issue: Could be hard to enforce—where do you draw the line?

Option 3: Keep the Rule the Same, But Enforce Raking

• Instead of changing the rule, courses could be stricter on players raking bunkers.

Potential Issue: Let’s be real—golfers already struggle with pace of play. Asking everyone to rake properly won’t magically fix the issue.

📢 What’s Your Take?

Should golfers get free relief from footprints in the bunker, or is it just part of the game?

Drop your thoughts, and let’s settle this debate!

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The Golf Bandit
The Golf Bandit

Hi, I'm Jan. I'm passionate about golf and have been playing for years. I love testing out new clubs and equipment, and I share my reviews right here on my blog. With access to the latest gear, I provide honest insights on how they perform on the course. I also enjoy sharing tips and tricks to help you improve your game. Thanks for visiting—hope you find something useful!

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